When I first started riding in the late eighties (yeah, last century), I was aware of a few magazines and a couple of movies.  Then Easyrider came out with the Video Magazine, which was pretty dang cool.  But the advent of cable tv and the internet–where I myself am guilty of adding noise to the stream–heralded a whole new batch of biker media that is only starting to get going.  Add to the mix Orange County Choppers, Sons of Anarchy, Biker Buildoffs, not to mention mainstream garbage like Wild Hogs.

While it can all be fun, I’m actually not sure it’s a good thing.  When I was a skinny young nothin’ with maybe three pairs of jeans, a few shirts, and a motorcycle (and I hyperbolize only slightly), my head was full of my own adventures riding the Sierra Nevada on my ’73 Sportster, going it alone against the wind and the sun.  Now our imaginations are fed by grandiose visions of having the most expensive custom, the fattest back tire, the most righteous paint job.

Today I have the bike I’ve always wanted, which also happens to be the one I’ve had most of my adult life.  I’d rather ride then clean it, and while I don’t ride nearly as much as I used to, my ideals are still the same–it’s all about the ride.

Aah, which this really isn’t…

Jones, of course, is the kind of guy who would always rather ride than sit around watching TV.  Unless, of course, there’s beer involved.  This is just who he is.  He’s not a poster child for the biker lifestyle, he’s not some guy in a damn cigarette ad, and he sure as hell isn’t the picture of the modern biker, whom he largely holds in disdain, even though he probably works for one.  When he works.  Pure old school.

Don’t expect to find him at the bar watching Season Three get rolling.  But you never know.  He could easily cave.

Jones finally finds someone who will run out on his luck…

I’ve been beating around the bush about the inspiration for this guy’s name for some time.  In fact, I’ve been slow about bringing him on as the lowlife,  freeloading, zombie he really is.  And he wont’ be doing anything about it–the gags it offers are too rich!

Jones is really turning out to be kind of a freeloader–among other things!

Again, this may relate to Trailer Trash, an animation about trailered bikes from the point of view of the bikes and their peers…

Jones sure knows how to have a good time, don’t he?

As the days draw us closer to the Sturgis rally, a few strips like this hit the mark for lots of bikers hitting the highway and all campgrounds in-between.

If you are hitting the road, don’t forget to give my animation Trailer Trash a look. Makes you consider the meaning of “loading my bike for a roadtrip” a bit more carefully.

At this point, the idea of the Rich Urban Biker is out-dated as many of them have learned how to blend in. At some events they’re more the norm than the exception. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you may qualify. Either way, it’s worth a chuckle.

I have to claim a little bit of hypocritical attitude, because even though I started out pretty down and out and could fit everything I owned (including my beloved chopper) in the back of my truck, at this point things are much better than I ever imagined they could be. By no means am I rich, but if I saw it through the eyes of the 20 year-old long haired hippy biker I once was, I’d have to disagree.